Korean YouTuber arrested in Philippines for child sex abuse, allegedly posed as poverty aid worker

Captured from social media of NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM

A Korean man in his 50s has been arrested in the Philippines on charges of child abuse, trafficking and sexual exploitation involving a 14-year-old girl who later gave birth to his child. The suspect is believed to have used a YouTube channel under the pretense of helping impoverished Filipino children to solicit donations — a revelation that has outraged both the Korean and international public.

According to Philippine media outlet GMA Network and the Philippine National Police Cybercrime Division, the suspect, identified only as A, was arrested June 11 in Cagayan de Oro City. Authorities rescued the underage girl, referred to as B, along with her two-month-old baby, who was allegedly fathered by A.

Investigators said the arrest stemmed from online surveillance conducted by the National Coordination Center against Online Sexual Abuse and Exploitation of Children (NCC-OSAEC-CSAEM), which discovered a suspicious YouTube video suggesting potential crimes against minors. Authorities identified the Korean man as the account holder, and determined he had been living with the 14-year-old girl. They later confirmed that she had given birth to his child, prompting charges under multiple laws including the Special Protection of Children Against Abuse Act, the Anti-Rape Law, and the Anti-Trafficking in Persons Act.

Although police have not released the suspect’s name, he is widely believed to be a YouTuber who operated a so-called "study room" for children in poor neighborhoods and appealed for donations from Korean viewers. Online watchdog Crime Net, which documents criminal activity by Korean nationals abroad, alleged in two recent videos that A is behind the YouTube account in question. The term “poverty porn” has been used to describe his content — media that exploits the suffering of the poor to generate sympathy and monetary donations.

Captured from YouTube channel Crime Net

Crime Net further noted that the suspect had posted videos consistently for two years, often focusing on Filipino children. His final upload was on June 11 — the same day of his arrest. Several videos also reportedly reference the underage girl’s pregnancy and the newborn baby, including one in which a man believed to be A says, “Born on April 24. My first baby.”

The birthdate aligns with the age of the two-month-old baby rescued during the suspect’s arrest, further fueling speculation that the YouTuber and A are the same person.

Outraged internet users have flooded the Crime Net videos with comments such as “I saw the devil,” “This is horrifying,” “Did he really upload his own crime?” and “Do not donate.”

This article from the Hankook Ilbo, the sister publication of The Korea Times, is translated by a generative AI system and edited by The Korea Times.